Why might showing anger be considered inappropriate in some public settings in Japan?

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A woman telephone operator wearing a headset sits at a manual switchboard, connecting calls by plugging cords into rows of jacks, circa 1900. — communication Operator at a telephone switchboard, c. 1900.

In Japan, the expression of anger is often considered inappropriate in public settings due to local display rules. These cultural norms govern which emotions and expressions are deemed suitable within specific social circumstances.1

While emotions are often viewed as having a neurological core, their manifestation is heavily influenced by the social structures of emotion. In Japanese society, the social context dictates that public displays of anger are discouraged, contrasting sharply with other cultures—such as in the United States—where such expressions may be expected in certain public interactions. Ultimately, these learned concepts of appropriateness are fundamental to how different societies regulate communication and social behavior.1